American Go E-Journal

KBA Donates Free Beginner’s Book to AGA

Roy Laird — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:15:52 +0000

With the publication of Falling in Love with Baduk: Play a Game in One Week, The Korea Baduk Association has taken yet another important step to support Western go. Written in both Korean and English by Dahye Lee and Jihee Baek, two young Korean pros, this is a book aimed at beginners, and especially Westerners. “People with different skin colors and different languages can understand one another when seated across the Baduk board,” they write. “It thrills us to imagine a view of Easterners and Westerners playing the game together.” This is a valuable book for serious newcomers of any age. Basic principles are broken down into seven simple lessons, presumably one per day, with dozens of problems illustrating each day’s lesson. Ms. Lee will attend this year’s US Go Congress and will participate in the AGA’s first teacher training program. The book is ideal for classroom situations too, and can be used as a manual for non-players who find themselves running go programs at libraries or schools. The book is available as a free download from the AGF website here, it is 86 mb, so expect it to take a little time.

The text in Falling in Love with Baduk appears side by side in Korean and English, following a style developed by Korean publisher Oromedia. Perhaps Oromedia had an uncredited role in developing this book. Oromedia’s Speed Baduk series (9 volumes) has been all-English, but their other books feature side-by-side presentation of the same material in English and Korean. Examples include Korean Style of Baduk, the Think Like a Pro series ( 2 volumes), the 100 Tips for Amateur Players series (3 volumes ), Inspiration of Pro and Creative Life and Death (2 volumes), all available from Yutopian. Here, as in the other bilingual books, it’s fun to see what the authors have to say in both languages on the same page, especially for language learners. The English text uses Korean terminology for concepts lacking an English equivalent, rather than the terms of Japanese origin that Western players learned from the first generation of English go books. For instance, the position known as “atari” is called “dansoo.” The emergence of Korean-based synonyms may further bewilder newcomers who are already struggling to grasp the vast, abstract nature of the game itself. But in the end, it all adds to the ineffable richness of the game. The worldwide community of players has been unable to agree on a single set of rules. There is not even agreement on what the game should be called; we are unlikely to produce a universal lexicon any time soon. Confused readers can always consult Prof. Chi-hyung Nam’s Contemporary Go Terms, if they have one handy, but the question remains – if you want to tell your opponent that their stone is about to be captured, what should you say? -Roy Laird

Six Days Left to Register for YKNOT3

Roger Schrag — Fri, 24 May 2013 01:05:35 +0000

The deadline to register for this year’s Young Kwon National Online Tournament has been extended until midnight on Wednesday, May 29. This means there are still six days to register for the tournament! Sponsored by Young Kwon of Pearl River, NY, the tournament offers nearly $3,000 in total prizes! More than 60 players have already registered. Click here to register and here for details on schedule and rules. Join the wide range of strengths already represented and make this tournament better and even more exciting! The five-round tournament will take place June 1, 2, and 8 on KGS in the AGA Tournaments Room. For those who aren’t going to play in the tournament, be sure to check it out and watch a few games – a tournament with nearly 20 players 5D and stronger promises excitement!

European Go Catalog Near Completion

Roger Schrag — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:44 +0000

Dutch go player Theo van Ees 1d, one of the authors of Bibliogo, is developing a catalog of go books and articles. The project started in 1975, and is now a listing of about 3,200 go titles in the main European languages plus Russian. The European Go Cultural Centre, meanwhile, started a library of go books in 2003 and today this collection is managed by librarian Henk Mourik 1k. Database specialist Otto Versteeg 8k has put both collections together in a searchable database listing all of the titles in van Ees’ catalog, with an indication of which items are available at the European Go Cultural Centre library in Amstelveen, Amsterdam. You can search the go catalog, and the plan is to update it frequently. You may report comments and wishes to van Ees at tvanees@xs4all.nl. He is especially interested to hear about omissions and newly published material.

Chen Yaoye Shines Again at 27th Annual Tianyuan

Annalia Linnan — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:33:06 +0000

Chen Yaoye 9P took his fifth consecutive Tianyuan title when he bested Gu Lingyi 5P on May 15. Although Gu joined the top ten Chinese pros in 2009, and was once viewed as one of China’s “most promising” players, he wasn’t able to dethrone Chen.

Chen himself was in a similar situation five years ago when he secured the Tianyuan title from six-time victor Gu Li 9P. As Gu Li defeated Chen in his first international final, at the 10^th LG Cup in 2006, some could say Chen’s counter-attack was a long time coming. Before he can even contemplate matching Gu Li’s six-year streak, however, Chen will need to focus on his upcoming match against Lee Sedol 9P in the final round of the 10^th Chunlan Cup, on June 17. He will also have to watch out for this year’s Korean Chunwon champion Park Younghun 9P at the China Korea Tengen playoff, rumored to take place in September. Unlike the stereotypical Korean combative style, Park (like Chen) is more flexible. According to Jing at Go Game Guru, “he’s a master of the endgame and tends to prefer more peaceful, territory oriented games.”

For more information about the Gu Lingyi - Chen Yaoye match, including photos and game records, please visit gogameguru.com.

-Annalia Linnan, based on a longer article by Go Game Guru

Studying in Stile

Paul Barchilon — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:43:29 +0000

With just 73 miles left to go in his 200-mile Coast to Coast walk across northern England, E-J Managing Editor Chris Garlock took a tsume-go study break Wednesday on a fence stile outside Richmond (using SmartGo for iPhone).

“Everyone along the way has been so friendly, hospitable and generous,” Garlock says, “just like those who have contributed to the American Go Foundation” in support of the walk (the fundraising drive is almost up to $1,500). ”We’re into Yorkshire now,” Garlock adds, “and the going is a bit easier, with soothing strolls through pastures and woodlands in place of Cumbria’s mountains and bogs.” - photo by Lisa Garlock

Go Congress Site Posts 60 Local Attractions

Paul Barchilon — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:33:37 +0000

Go Congress co-director, Gordon Castanza, has compiled a list of 60 diverse activities that are “sure to fascinate those who want to see the attractions of the Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia area,” says Castanza. “From aquariums to arboretums to beaches, parks and zoos, the Pacific Northwest has something for even the most fastidious visitor. Find the trolls of Fremont, the wonders of the Chihuly glass sculptures, the gastronomical delights of 5 species of oysters from the bays of Puget Sound, and the dizzying vistas of the Space Needle. So get a group together and eat your box lunch while reveling in the panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains to the west or one of the many volcanoes (Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Baker) of the Cascade Range to the east. You will find the ‘Non-Players’ Activities’ list on the Congress web page here. The activities are self-propelled and self- guided.” Day off tours for players are also posted on the site, and players can of course engage in the the non-player activities as well. Local residents will be available to help people make plans. Photo by Gordon Castanza: “The architecture, and the layout of the Seattle Chinese Garden is the same as in Seattle’s Sister City, Chongqing, China. These rocks not only come from, but also imitate the mountains around Chongqing, which is in Sichuan Province.

New IGS Client, AGA City League

Paul Barchilon — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:24:26 +0000

There is a new IGS client available, GoPanda 2, which is being distributed as a standalone application. Version 2.1.0 was released May 15th. “Aside from a ton of bugfixes and new features, we also moved away from java as the supporting technology” report the developers. “The new client handles like a native app, and doesn’t rely on any specific browser being installed anymore. It’s still missing some features, but we will be adding new things constantly.”

The Pandanet/AGA City League plays Round 7 for the A & B Leagues and Round 5 for the C & D Leagues. Observers can watch live on IGS starting at 1pm EST/10am PST on Sunday March 26th. For more info on the league, click here. Pandanet encourages players and observers to try the new client during their games on Sunday.

Correction: Mlily Healthcare is the Sponsor

Paul Barchilon — Tue, 21 May 2013 05:13:44 +0000

The E-J mistakenly reported that the Mlily Cup was possibly sponsored by the Mlily Hotel, in yesterday’s Power Report. In fact, The Mlily Cup World Open Tournament is sponsored by Healthcare Co., Ltd. Thanks to Ke Lu for pointing out the error.

The Power Report: Honinbo, Kisei Updates; Ryo Breaks Yuta’s Record; New Chinese Tourney

Paul Barchilon — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:32:14 +0000

by John Power, Japan Correspondent for the American Go E-Journal

Iyama makes good start in Honinbo defense: The first game of the 68th Honinbo title match was played in Ota City in Shimane Prefecture on May 16 and 17. Taking white, Iyama Honinbo defeated Takao Shinji 9P by 4.5 points. The game was closely fought, but Iyama drew ahead with a severe attack launched a little over 100 moves into the game. Winning with white is a good way to start off a best-of-seven. The second game will be played on May 28 and 29. Photo: Iyama Yuta, current Honinbo, courtesy Nihon Ki-in

38th Kisei Leagues: Two more games were played in the new Kisei leagues on May 16. In the second game in the A League, Cho U 9P (B) defeated Kiyonari Tetsuya 9P (Kansai Ki-in) by 15.5 points. In the first game in the B League, Murakawa Daisuke 7P (Kansai Ki-in) (W) beat Mizokami Tomochika 8P by resignation.

Youngest title-winner: Iyama Yuta’s record for youngest title-winner has been broken, though in an unofficial tournament. In the final of the 4th Okage Cup, held in Ise City on May 16, the fifteen-year old Ichiriki Ryo 3P defeated Anzai Nobuaki 6P, who had won the previous two cups. Iyama Yuta won the Agon Kiriyama Cup at the age of 16, so Ichiriki has lowered his record by a year, though Iyama retains the record for an official title. The tournament is sponsored by a manufacturer of traditional sweets, and is open to members of the Nihon Ki-in aged 30 and under. The format is NHK-style (30 seconds per move plus ten minutes of thinking time taken in one-minute units). The best 16 competed in a final knockout tournament, held on May 15 and 16. Born in Miyagi Prefecture on June 10, 1997, Ichiriki is a disciple of So Kofuku 9P. He became a professional in 2011. He is also enrolled in first year of high school. It will be interesting to see if he can follow further in the footsteps of Iyama. Photo: Ichiriki Ryo, courtesy Nihon Ki-in

New Chinese international tournament: Launching international tournaments seems to be the latest fashion in China, reflecting both the increasing prosperity of Chinese corporations and the high status of go as an intellectual sport. The increasing success of Chinese players in the international arena is undoubtedly another factor. The latest new arrival is the Mlily Cup World Open Tournament, sponsored by Mlily Healthcare. It starts out with an international qualifying tournament being held from May 21 to 24 that will decide 50 out of the 64 places in the first round of the main tournament. Of the 50, four places are reserved for women players and four for amateurs. The disposition of the 14 seeded places is five to China, three each to Japan and Korea, one to Chinese Taipei, and two special seeds selected by the organizers. First prize is 1,800,000 yuan (about $285,000). The first two rounds will be played in July, and the next two in August. The dates of the final and semifinals have not yet been decided. China graphic from wallsave.com

Deadline May 31 for China Collegiate Trip

Paul Barchilon — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:31:08 +0000

Two years ago, the Shanghai Ing Chang-Ki Wei-Chi Education Foundation hosted a group of 11 American college students to participate in a week long go summer camp in China. This year, they are hosting a new event in Shanghai, July 7-13, and inviting college students from America to compete in an international tournament. Students from 50 different colleges will be invited, and attendees will also have a chance to explore Shanghai and Hangzhou, while learning a bit more about a culture that is on the opposite side of the world. Organizer Michael Fodera reports that ”housing, food, travel within China, and Ing sponsored tourist trips are all free. All ranks are welcome, even beginners as week as 20kyu. The tournament is not just limited to college students; college or university faculty members are also eligible. Though they will have to compete in the open section, which will be full of top amateur players.” To register for the event, visit the American Collegiate Go Association website. Photo by Will Lockhart: American students vs Fudan and Jiaotong University students, from the 2011 trip to China.

KGS Meijin Qualifier May 25

Paul Barchilon — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:30:15 +0000

Registration is still open for this weekend’s KGS 2013 Meijin tournament qualifier. The April qualifier featured “many exciting games and drew more than 300 observers,” reports KGS admin Akane Negishi. “One of last year’s contenders, Grande, won the April qualifier again.” The single-elimination qualifier will be held May 25-26 on an Asian/European daytime schedule (Round 1 starts at 5a EDT/2a PDT). In this fifth qualifier, the winner will become a contender for the finals which will start in November. The runner-up may also become a contender if there are 6 or more rounds in the Qualifier. The final KGS Meijin winner will receive a minimum cash prize of $500 and a special Meijin icon. Click here for details and to register.

This Week’s Go Calendar: Baltimore

Roger Schrag — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:29 +0000

May 25-26: Baltimore, MD
40th Maryland Open
Keith Arnold hlime81@comcast.net 410-788-3520

Get the latest go events information.

Chess Grandmaster Recommends Go to Chess Players

Roy Laird — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:37:05 +0000

Many chess players who discover go seem to leave chess behind, but notable Swedish grandmaster Tiger Hillarp Person , the author of “Tiger’s Modern,” finds go to be a nice complement to his enjoyment of chess. Persson recently started blogging at “Chess at the Bag of Cats,” where he has set up a go section. He writes: “I started out with Go in the beginning of 2011 and, after a rapid rise to about 9kyu, I’ve been gaining around 4kyu a year since then. I can really recommend chess players to do this for a number of reasons. First, if you are too tactically inclined a player, then by playing Go you will be forced to think about things like ‘structure’ and ‘plans’. Secondly, if you work as a coach, reliving the struggle of being a beginner at a difficult game (like Chess – or Go) will definitely improve your understanding of those you are coaching. Thirdly, there are few things that let you appreciate the ‘nature’ of what you have learned as a chess player. Learning Go will make it obvious that you know stuff that transcends the chess board.” -Roy Laird, with thanks to Michael Bacon for sending the link.

Janice Kim Workshop June 28

Paul Barchilon — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:39:48 +0000

Go is returning to Hollyhock Center, in British Columbia, after more than a decade. Janice Kim 3P will lead a workshop at the popular learning center June 28 through July 3. The Hollyhock website says “Hollyhock was founded in 1983, and is Canada’s leading centre for lifelong learning, but you can also think of us as a ‘refuge for your soul’, a place that allows you access to what matters, or simply time to rest, play and achieve wellness.” Kim promises to “Increase your go skill through interactive lectures, small and large group exercises, game practice and analysis,” as well as help players “Develop critical thinking skills and improve their confidence while exploring effective and positive real world decision-making.” An award-winning author and professional 3-dan, Kim brings decades of experience to her acclaimed workshops; in 1984 she won the World Youth Go Championship, took second place in the 1985 Fuji Women’s Korean Go Champion and in 2008 she placed 4^th in the World Poker Tour Bellagio Five Diamond Classic. She’s also been a contributor to the American Go E-Journal, most recently contributing commentary at the 2012 Sport Accord World Mind Sports Games in Beijing. To learn more, and to register for the workshop, click here.

Maryland Open and NAMT Qualifier May 25 & 26

Paul Barchilon — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:32:46 +0000

The 40th Maryland Open, which is also an NAMT Qualifier, will be next weekend. Organizer Keith Arnold says it is “always a strong field and all ranks are welcome.” The five-round, two-day tournament also offers prizes in all dan and kyu sections. Check out the Maryland Open section of the Baltimore Go Club webpage for information on schedule, directions, and nearby lodgings for traveling players.

EuroGoTV Updates: Madrid, Amsterdam, Austria

Annalia Linnan — Sat, 18 May 2013 20:12:35 +0000

The XVI Torneo de Madrid wrapped up on May 5 with Seok-Bin Cho 8d (left) in first, followed by Lluis Oh 6d and Pau Carles 3d. One week later, Cho defeated Lukas Kraemer 5d at the 2013 Amsterdam International while Merlijn Kuin 6d came in third. Finishing the same day (May 12) was the Grazer Go Turnier Styrian Masters in Graz, Austria. There, Viktor Lin 4d came in first with Lothar Spiegel 4d in second and Martin Unger 3d in third. For complete result tables and all the latest European go news, visit EuroGoTV.com. -Annalia Linnan, photo from Eurogotv.com

Garlock Notches First 50 Miles in 200-Mile UK Walk

Paul Barchilon — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:23:09 +0000

“Five days and 50 miles in, we’ve just come out of England’s Lake District, some of the most breathtakingly gorgeous scenery I’ve ever been through and certainly the toughest I’ve ever walked, hiked and rock-climbed,” reports EJ Managing Editor Chris Garlock, who’s walking the 200-mile Coast-to-Coast with his wife Lisa (as reported in the EJ on May 6th) and raising funds for the American Go Foundation (AGF). “We’re enjoying the walk and working hard — still another 150 miles to go! — just like the folks at the AGF, who do so much for American go.” Click here to make a contribution to the AGF. Photo at left by Lisa Garlock: At Hayeswater Tarn, with the Lake District in the background. At right, by Chris Garlock: “Great pub, terrifically creative food, but where’s the go? Hopefully our friends in the BGA will attend to this.”

EuroGoTV Interview: Jonas Welticke on Life as an Insei

Annalia Linnan — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:02:53 +0000

In a recent interview for EuroGoTV, 17-year-old German player Jonas Welticke 4d shared some insight about his experiences as an insei. Aside from Monday study groups with Ohashi Hirofumi 5d and “playing the other insei kids every weekend,” Wilticke said there is no formal routine, and he mostly studies by himself. His current record after his first week is 10-1.

Though some might imagine feeling out of place as a Caucasian insei, Welticke seems to have had no problem. In fact, there are some that might know him as a familiar face. “They have already published a considerably sized picture of me, though I didn’t know it,” he said. “They used some footage from the European Go Center and made an article about it almost one year ago.” More than the food, habits, and transportation, the biggest difference Welticke has found is how go is treated in Japan. He said there are “easily” 80 players at the Nihon Ki-in every afternoon. “It would be awesome to have as many go players in Europe,” he said. “Also, there are weekly newspapers dedicated to go. They are often sold out, which fascinates me again and again.” Welticke looks forward to having his name listed in the go newspaper toward the end of the month when he is promoted to D class. For the full interview, please visit EuroGoTV. -Annalia Linnan, photo credit EuroGoTV

Family Power: Shikshins Win European Pairgo Championship

Paul Barchilon — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:55:35 +0000

The strongest pairs in Europe competed in Amsterdam, May 11 and 12, for the European Pair Go Championship. The Shikshin siblings – Ilya and Svetlana, both 7d – who swept the Russian Pair Championship this February, were the clear favorites. Another interesting Russian pair featured Natalia Kovaleva 5d, the 2007 European Female Champion, playing with aspiring young player Alexander Vashurov 5d, who has won several European Youth Championships. Kovaleva has won the European Pair Championship five times, with her usual partner Dmitry Surin 6d, who could not come this year. Other strong competitors included Czech pair, Klara Zaloudkova 3d and Jan Hora 6d, and Hungarians Péter Markó 3d and Rita Pocsai 5d.

The tournament pulled in 24 pairs from 10 countries. The Shikshins won all of their games, capturing first place, in second were Zaloudkova and Hora, while third went to Kovaleva and Vashurov. With their win, the Shikshin siblings earned the right to represent Europe in pair go competitions at the next International Sport-Accord Games.

The Pair Go Championship was held in conjunction with the Amsterdam Rapid. The results here were not so predictable, as the tourney introduced handicap games and short time limits (30 minutes). Russia was also on top here, as the two players who made it to the final match were Ilya Shikshin and Natalia Kovaleva, both of whom were undefeated going in. The final match was held with reduced time-control (only 15 minutes) and Kovaleva, who had 2 handicap stones, was the victor. For full results from the Pair Go Championship go here, for the Amsterdam Rapid go here. Eurogotv also has game records from the Pair Go event here. -Daria Koshkina. Photo: Svetlana Shikshina 7d and Ilya Shikshin 7d, at right, playing Natalia Kovaleva 5d and Alexander Vashurov 5d, at left. Copyright Harry van der Krogt 2013, used by permission.

Four American Pros Coming to Congress

Paul Barchilon — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:02:58 +0000

Myungwan Kim 9P, Yilun Yang 7P, Mingjiu Jiang 7P, and Jennie Shen 2p have confirmed they will be teaching at the US Go Congress in Tacoma this year. Co-Director Chris Kirschner reports: “Pros from Korea, China, and both Kansai Ki-in and Nihon Ki-in in Japan will attend, but we aren’t sure of the names yet.” Korea also plans to send two additional pros to the Teacher Workshop. See the What’s Happening link on the Congress Website for more details and frequent updates.

The Power Report: Cho Leads Meijin; Kisei, Honinbo Begin; Pair Go

Paul Barchilon — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:40:05 +0000

by John Power, Japan Correspondent for the American Go E-Journal

Cho U keeps sole lead in the Meijin League: Two important games in the 38th Meijin League were played on May 2. In one, Cho U 9P (W) beat Mizokami Tomochika 8P by resignation; in the other, Iyama Yuta Kisei (B) beat Sakai Hideyuki 8-dan, also by resignation. As a result, Cho improved his score to 5-0 and kept the sole lead. Iyama is in second place, on 5-1. The two are scheduled to play each other in June. The only other player with one loss is Hane Naoki, who is on 4-1. However, he has a bye in May.

Two more games were played on May 9. Takao Shinji 9P (W) beat Murakawa Daisuke 7P by resignation and Kono Rin 9P beat Yuki Satoshi Judan, also by resignation. These results meant that Takao and Kono both kept their hopes of winning the league alive, as each has only two losses (Takao is 4-2 and Kono is 3-2). Neither has played Cho yet, so they need to “cooperate” to drag him down. Of course, they need Iyama to stumble as well. Incidentally, Yuki’s jinx continues: he has now lost 15 games in a row over three Meijin legues. Photo: Cho U, Official Nihon Ki-in photo.

Kisei Leagues starts: The 38th Kisei Leagues got off to a start with a game in the A League. Taking black, Yamashita Keigo Meijin beat Yoda Norimoto 9P by 5.5 points.

Honinbo title match starts on 16th: The big game later this week will be the first game of the 68th Honinbo title match, in which Takao Shinji 9P is challenging Iyama Yuta Honinbo. The game will be played on May 16 & 17. Takao has a dismal record against Iyama of 5 wins to 17 losses, but he was in superb form in the Honinbo League, which he won 7-0, so the title match is unlikely to be one-sided.

Professional Pair Go championship: The E-Journal reported on this tournament on May 6th. The Japanese Pair Go Association would like to add some details about the event. The official name of the tournament is the 1st China-Japan-Korea Professional Pair Go Championship. It is notable as the first purely professional international Pair Go tournament. The first tournament in which professionals took part was the Pair Go World Cup 2010, which was held in Hangzhou, China. It was organized by the World Pair Go Association, and a total of 16 professional and amateur players took part. This tournament was popular with spectators and go fans. This year’s event was organized by the WPGA with the cooperation of the Chinese Weiqi Association, Anhui Province and Hefei City. Matsuura Koichiro, President of the WPGA and former Director-General of Unesco, attended the tournament to give out prizes. A large number of photos and the game records can be found at the home pages of the Japan Pair Go Association and on the Pandanet page for the tournament. Photo: Pair Go Winners, representing China, Wang Chenxing 5-dan & Chang Hao 9-dan. From Pandanet.

Go Spotting: “The Economist” On “The Game To Beat All Games”

Chris Garlock — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:35:47 +0000

“The heavyweight pros on late-night cable television boast nicknames such as Monster, Razor, Butcher, Assassin and Knitting Needle. The most famed matches in history include the Blood Vomiting Game of 1835, the Famous Killing Game of 1926 and the Atomic Bomb Game of 1945. No, this is not some bone-crushing contact sport. It is a simple parlour game where two opponents, comfortably seated and often equipped with nothing more than folding paper fans and cigarettes, take turns placing little stones, some black, some white, on a flat wooden grid…”
- excerpted from the December 16, 2004 report on “The most intellectually testing game ever devised?” in The Economist; thanks to Glen Peters for passing it along. Photo Getty Images, courtesy The Economist

This Week’s Go Calendar: Raleigh, San Francisco, Seattle, KGS

Roger Schrag — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:58:10 +0000

May 18: Raleigh, NC
Carolina Spring Tournament
Owen Chen owenjchen@gmail.com 919-468-2062

May 18: San Francisco, CA
Bay Area Go Players Association AGA Ratings Tournament
Roger Schrag rs1249@bayareago.org 510-501-2701
Steve Burrall sburrall@comcast.net 916-688-2858

May 19: Seattle, WA
Iwamoto Youth 19×19 Tournament
Brian Allen manager@seattlego.org 206-545-1424 206-632-1122

May 18-19: AGA Tournament Room, KGS
OWL: Resurrection – NAMT Qualifier
Karoline Burrall karoline.burrall@usgo.org

Get the latest go events information.

Go Classified: Amateur Lessons

Paul Barchilon — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:37:54 +0000

I have been teaching go for several years, many people may know of my Youtube channel, “Clossius” where I have done video lessons for beginners. I am offering teaching games and lessons for donations, to anyone who would be willing to help me get to the Go Congress this year. -Shawn Ray, AGA 4d. Interested parties may contact Shawn at Clossius.ShawnRay@gmail.com

Historical Exhibit to Debut at Go Congress

Paul Barchilon — Sun, 12 May 2013 22:32:18 +0000

“The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience will be assisting us to present items of significance to the history of go in this country,” reports Congress Director Chris Kirschner. “We will have a collection of AGA Journals from the 1940′s and 50′s. Japanese players in Seattle have donated old books dating back to the early 1920′s, including some that were hand written during the wartime internment. Copies of some of these will be available for purchase at the Go Congress.” Also on display will be a floor board and stones, along with a doll that traveled West from Japan about 1900, to Austria, and continued from Europe about 1950, landing in Seattle ultimately.

“We will have a piece by well known Japanese calligrapher Taiun Yanagida, stating 10 rules for playing well,” said Kirschner. “It was a feature at the original Seattle Go club in Seattle’s international district, which was a chapter of the Nihon Ki-in. It was donated to the Seattle Go Center by surviving members of that club shortly after the Go Center was founded in 1995. A translation will be available. Copies of early books in English will make an interesting comparison with our modern book style,” adds Kirschner. The organizers are looking for additional display material. If you have material you would like to see displayed , contact Kirschner at director2013@gocongress.org. -Paul Barchilon.

New From Hinoki Press: “Theory and Practice” series by Russian Master

Roy Laird — Sun, 12 May 2013 22:31:31 +0000

In Russia, they take their mind sports seriously. Case in point: the Russian Sports Federation’s (RSF) chess program has produced many of the world’s finest players. Similarly, the RSF’s go program has produced top Western professionals through their partnership with the Hankuk Kiwon, producing players such as Alexander Dinerchtein 3P (“breakfast” on KGS) and Svetlana Shikshina 3P, and continues to produce promising up-and-comers such as Ilya Shikshin 7D.

If asked to name their mentors, all would certainly mention Valery Shikshin, an Honored Trainer of the Russian Federation (and as you may gather, father of both Svetlana and Illya). Shikshin has been teaching and coaching Russian go for 25 years, and has developed a set of axioms and principles that he sets forth in this four-volume “Theory and Practice Series,” now available exclusively in the US through GoGameGuru. Volume 1, The Theory and Practice of Tsumego, includes more than 300 original life-and-death problems, many from Russian master games. Starting with the basic shapes, Shikshin takes the reader all the way through corner positions, side formations, and on into the intricacies of seki and ko. I found the chapter on seki to be uniquely systematic in its understanding of how these strangely symbiotic shapes arise.

While Volume 1 of “Theory and Practice” is a new approach to an area that has been widely studied, Volume 2 — “The Theory and Practice of Semeai“ — is surely unique in English. Here Shikshin takes the same systematic approach to capturing races, illustrating a few dozen basic principles with numerous problems and game examples. As in Volume 1, the principles are illustrated by hundreds of problems and examples, many from actual games. Two other volumes will complete the series in the next few months – The Theory and Practice of Shapes, and The Theory and Practice of Analysis. These materials helped to produce some great Western go masters – they are surely a worthy entry into the Western go canon.
- Roy Laird

Evan Cho takes Second TRENDnet in SoCal

Roger Schrag — Sat, 11 May 2013 20:22:12 +0000

Go teacher Evan Cho 7d has won the second TRENDnet Southern California Go Championship, reports tournament organizer Kevin Chao. A small but enthusiastic crowd of 32 met at the Arcadia Badminton Club in Arcadia, CA, for the tournament, which is sponsored by the global network hardware provider. Cho beat Curtis Tang 7d for the top section prize and Gus Price 7d came in third. In the dan section, Daniel Alvira won top honors followed by Jay Zheng, Jerry Shen and Jeffrey Zhang. In high kyu, Preston Hutchins won, followed by Andy Cheng and AGA Executive Vice President Ted Terpstra. Mid-kyu: David Baran, followed by AGF Teacher of the Year Joe Walters and Hena Garcia. Low-kyu, Jeremy Shen followed by Sean Tucker and AGF Director Larry Gross. The go playing happened in an upstairs room at the giant badminton club; some players went downstairs and played badminton while waiting for their next round, making the weekend a combined mental and physical workout.

OWL NAMT Deadline May 16

Paul Barchilon — Sat, 11 May 2013 20:21:23 +0000

There are still seats open in next weekends tournament OWL: Resurrection. The sequel to last year’s Oscar Wilde Liberation tournament, which falls on the anniversary of Oscar Wilde’s release from Reading Gaol Prison. For the second year in a row, this tournament will give players a chance to earn points towards this year’s North American Masters Tournament at the US Go Congress in August. The 4-round tournament will take place on KGS in the AGA Tournament Room, on Saturday and Sunday, May 18-19. Players must be eligible for NAMT and rated 4D+. Click here for tournament schedule and rules, and click here to register. Registration is free, and participation in the tournament guarantees at least some points to all players. The deadline is May 16th, at midnight. - Karoline Burrall. Photo: Oscar Wilde, who once said “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.”

A League Finalists Set in European Team Championship

Chris Garlock — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:39:24 +0000

Hungary and Czechia have now qualified for the finals in the Pandanet Go European Team Championship A league, joining Russia and Ukraine, who had previously qualified. This is the second consecutive trip to the league finals for Hungary and Czechia, while Russia and Ukraine have not missed a final yet, with Russia winning both previous titles. The European Team Championship (ETC), now in its third year, is comparable to the German Bundes League but with national teams from thirty European countries divided into three leagues.

ETC games are played online using the Pandanet Internet Go Server. The top four teams in the A league are invited to compete for 10,000 Euros in the finals at the European Go Congress in Olsztyn, Poland in July, and up to five players per team receive support for their Congress travel costs.

Two-time defending champions Russia may be tough to dethrone, with European professionals Alexander Dinerchtein and Svetlana Shikshina and three-time European Champion Ilya Shiksin heading up the roster. Last year, with no team gathering more than one match win, Russia had to rely on tiebreakers to retain the championship. Germany’s last-place finish means direct demotion to the B league for next season, while Israel, promoted to the A league last season, managed to reach 9th place and need to win a playoff match against Austria to stay league A.

The B league team from Finland will be directly promoted to A league. UK will spend next season in League C, while 9^th place Switzerland still hopes of staying in the B league through the playoff match. Their opponent will be Slovakia, Slovenia or Turkey. Slovakia will not leave one of the first two places so they get at least a shot at being promoted. The only team that can still pass them is Slovenia. Turkey must hope for Slovenia to struggle to get a chance in the playoff match against Switzerland.

The last matches in the C League will be played on May 14th. All results will be available on the ECT tournament page.
- Jan Engelhardt, German Correspondent for the E-Journal. Photo: Catalin Taranu (l) vs. Ilya Shiksin (r), from the EGC 2012 Website

Andrew Kay on Course to Retain British Championship

Tony Collman — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:02 +0000

Reigning British Champion, Andrew Kay 5d, has taken first place at the Candidates’ Tournament, with six straight wins. The tournament, held at Edinburgh University in Scotland this year for the first time ever, is part of the British Championship. Twenty-one contenders, selected on grade, were invited by the British Go Association (BGA); an ineligible player also competed to even out the pairings.

In fact, Kay did not even need to compete, as the current Champion qualifies automatically for the Challengers’ League, between the eight best players from the Candidates’, who also earn qualifying points for selection as the British entrant to the World Amateur Go Championship. The top two players will be pitted against one another in the Title Match itself, decided on the best of three games.

Also qualifying were Des Cann and Matt Crosby with five wins each, and Tim Hunt, Andrew Simons, Boris Mitrovic, Alex Kent and Alex Rix with four. Francis Roads will be the reserve player, Richard Hunter having stood down.

The location in the far north of the UK was deliberately chosen to encourage more Scottish entrants, a ploy which was completely successful, since more Scots (and indeed more women) attended than in any previous year.

The Challengers’ League is due to take place at the Fitzrovia Room, International Student House (ISH), 229 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PN between Friday May 24 and Monday May 27 and the Title Match is provisionally scheduled for Sunday June 30 in Cambridge.

Click here for full results of the Candidates’ Tournament.

-Tony Collman. Compiled from material on the BGA’s website. Photo: Andrew Kay, courtesy of his website.

International Collegiate Go Tournament Deadline Extended

Chris Garlock — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:23 +0000

The deadline for registration of the first International Collegiate Go Tournament (North American College Players Invited to July Tournament in China, But Must Act Quickly 5/2/2013 EJ) has been extended until May 31. The invitation has been extended to students in Europe as well. More details about the July 7-13 event can be found at the ACGA’s website.

Nominations Open For 3 AGA Board Seats

Chris Garlock — Wed, 08 May 2013 23:03:10 +0000

Three American Go Association (AGA) Board of Director seats are up for election this year, reports Arnold Eudell, who’s coordinating this year’s election process. The terms of three seats – one in each region – expire this September. Nominations are now being accepted and will close on June 15; nominations must be made by email by full members of the AGA. Send to elections@usgo.org Click here for complete election information and qualifications.

AGF Expands Go World Offer

Roy Laird — Wed, 08 May 2013 23:02:49 +0000

Now that Go World magazine has ceased publication (EJ 11/16/12) , back issues of this matchless archive of top analysis and instruction have become more valuable than ever. The American Go Foundation’s Store offers a selection, and the first 108 issues are also available as PDFs from Kiseido Digital. The AGF was delighted to recently receive a generous donation of hundreds of oldies but goodies from the publisher, including twenty issues that have never been available from the AGF before. Click here to browse the contents of all but the last seven issues. If you’re unfamiliar with this great resource, download a free sample issue of Go World and check it out. A total of more than 50 back issues are now available to AGA members, and AGF programs. Click here to order from the AGF, who will ship anywhere in the US. If you enjoy the “real feel” of actual paper-and-ink, act now — when they’re gone, they’re gone! Still missing an elusive issue? Kiseido is offering all back issues from #72 – #124 on at $8/each including airmail from Japan. Issue #125-129 are $10/each. Some earlier issues are also available. Click here to find more info about Kiseido’s offer (at the bottom of the page). -Roy Laird

AGA to Issue Rank Certificates at Go Congress

Chris Garlock — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:01:45 +0000

Top winners at this year’s U.S. Go Congress will receive the AGA’s first-ever Rank Certificates. Although the automated rating and tournament reporting system may not be ready by August, “AGA President Andy Okun looked at reports of US Open winners and determined that over 90% of those who place in the top three in their band, or top 6 in the open section, hold or exceed the rank,” reports Congress Co-Director Chris Kirschner. “That’s good enough for us to jump-start the program with certificates based on placing at least third in your band,” said Okun. When the automated process is completed, players who meet the standard for their next rank will receive an email notifying them of their achievement and a printable PDF certificate. Fancier certificates and plaques, suitable for framing, will be available at a reasonable cost. “This is an exciting addition to the tournament scene,” said Karoline Burrall, AGA National Tournament Coordinator. “Since the only way to get the certificate is to compete in AGA tournaments, we are expecting more and larger tournaments.”

Irvington Beats Sun in School Match

Paul Barchilon — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:00:45 +0000

Dueling schools in Portland, OR, are at it again, with Irvington Elementary notching up an 8-4 win over Sun Montessori, at their most recent tourney on April 21st. Irvington Elementary is coached by Peter Freedman, while Sun Montesorri is coached by Fritz Balwit. Richard Blakeslee, a Portland-based go player and film-maker, has been covering go at Irvington, and made a three minute video of the match which can be seen here. Another longer video, just over seven minutes, shows the kids playing and includes interviews with some of the kids about go, and the program, and can be seen here. Interschool match results: Irvington: McCaleb, 2-1, Hikaru, 2-1, Ellis, 2-1, Wilson, 2-1; Sun Montesorri: Amos, 2-1, Hanson, 2-1, Dylan, 0-3, Shelem, 0-3. -Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor. Photo by Peter Freedman: Players square off at the tournament on April 21st.

Correction: Yu was Choi’s Teacher, not Student

Paul Barchilon — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:59:58 +0000

The E-J mistakenly reported that Jung Choi 3P was the teacher of Changhyeok Yu 9P, in our story on Chinese Pair Go on May 5th. In fact, the reverse is true: Yu was Choi’s teacher. We apologize for the error, which has been fixed in the original story.

Young Kwon National Online Tournament (YKNOT) Field Shaping Up

Chris Garlock — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:00:49 +0000

With just three weeks left to register for the third annual Young Kwon National Online Tournament (YKNOT), the field already shows “an exciting diversity of ranks from the high 7 dans all the way into the 20 kyus!” reports AGA

download SGF file

Tournament Coordinator Karoline Burrall. The tournament, with $3,000 in total prizes, is shaping up to have a very strong open section, with at least 9 of the registrants so far being 6 dan or stronger. Players of any level can register for free. “Brand new AGA members are welcome,” Burrall adds, “or even those who haven’t joined the AGA yet, as long as players are AGA members by the time of the tournament, they may participate!” Players don’t have to be citizens or permanent residents either; if you live in the US you are eligible to compete and AGA life members living anywhere are also eligible. Now in its third year, the tournament has produced two champions so far, both professional players: Zhanbo Sun 2P in 2011, and Mingming Yin 1P in 2012. Check out the final game of the 2012 tournament between Mingming Yin 1P (Mingming) and Jie Liang 8D (gust) at right, featuring some exciting fighting throughout the game. “Continued thanks goes to Young Kwon for sponsoring this exciting tournament and his dedication to promoting go in the US!” says Burrall. “His support makes all of this possible.” Players who have already registered (or if you just want to see who is playing), click here and double check that your information is correct. If you requested a rank adjustment when you registered, these changes are not displayed yet; Burrall will be contacting players closer to the tournament date to discuss any rating change requests.

E-Journal Editor Closing in on Walk Goal

Chris Garlock — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:00:31 +0000

With just a week before starting his 200-mile trek across England (E-Journal Editor’s 200-mi UK Walk to Raise Funds for AGF 4/17 EJ), American Go E-Journal Managing Editor Chris Garlock 3D Garlock has raised nearly half of his $1,000 fundraising goal. “Go players have been incredibly generous,” says Garlock – who’s undertaking the Coast to Coast Walk with his wife Lisa to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary and raise funds for the AGF. “From our friends at Go Game Guru to AGA President Andy Okun and San Diego Go Club president Ted Terpstra, the response has been truly inspiring.” The AGF supports go in hundreds of schools, libraries and community centers across the country, provides scholarships and resources for youth who play go, and supports go in institutional settings such as prisons, and senior centers. Click here to donate and follow him on Facebook (Christopher Garlock) for posts from the Walk.
- photo by Lisa Garlock

An Invitation to Vienna

Annalia Linnan — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:00:09 +0000

If you’ve been thinking about visiting Vienna, mid-June could be just the time. The Österreichischer Goverband will be hosting Wien 2013, Vienna’s annual International Go Tournament June 15-16. Attractions include plenty of prize money, book prizes for players with multiple wins, and a venue in one of the most beautiful parts of Vienna, near the Lainzer Tiergarten, 20 minutes to the city center. Registered players will also enjoy inexpensive meals, free wifi, and a welcome party June 14 that includes grilled food, poker, and free go play. Players who register before May 20 are eligible for discounted accommodations. For more information on rules and how to register, visit the official Wien 2013 website.
-Annalia Linnan

Maryland Open Set As Second Eastern Region NAMT Qualifier

Chris Garlock — Sun, 05 May 2013 20:00:16 +0000

Strong players in the Eastern Region will have another chance to earn points towards the North American Masters Tournament on Memorial Day weekend. The May 25-26 Maryland Open in Baltimore has been designated the second NAMT Qualifier for the Eastern Region, reports AGA Tournament Coordinator Karoline Burrall. “Now in its 40th year, the Maryland Open is a great competition with a long history,” says Burrall, “and is a fantastic opportunity for players in the open section to earn points towards the North American Masters Tournament at this year’s U.S. Go Congress in August.” The five-round, two-day tournament also offers prizes in all dan and kyu sections. Check out the Maryland Open section of the Baltimore Go Club webpage for information on schedule, directions, and nearby lodgings for traveling players. - photo: Jie Li 7d, Andy Liu 1P and Daniel Chou 6d review a game at the 2012 Maryland Open; photo by Chris Garlock

China Has Home-Team Advantage in Tri-Nation Pair Go Tournament

Annalia Linnan — Sun, 05 May 2013 19:59:54 +0000

Chang Hao 9p (left) and Chenxing Wang 5p (right) took first place at the Tri-Nation Pair Go tournament, held in Heifei, China, April 30 through May 2. They fended off a challenge from 2nd place winners Korean duo, Jung Choi 3p and her former teacher Changhyeok Yu 9p, while Japanese pair Satoshi Yuki 9p and Ayumi Suzuki 6p came in third.

The pair go tournament was the main attraction, and go fans also had a chance to play professionals during the event. Former Chinese Go Association President Runan Wang 8p (below) even made an appearance, playing some of Anhui Province’s youngest players.

Another instance of the old connecting with the new was the venue itself: Three Kingdoms Park. As mentioned on Go Game Guru, Chinese history buffs will recognize “Three Kingdoms” as a tempestuous period in Chinese history, filled with struggles between the Wei, Shu and Wu kingdoms. In the same region where there are ancient ruins from those dark times, players of all ages enjoyed peaceful teaching games.

For more information about the tournament including photos and game records, please visit Go Game Guru. -Annalia Linnan, photos from gogameguru.com

Go Spotting: Playing With Da Vinci’s Demons

Chris Garlock — Sun, 05 May 2013 19:58:12 +0000

The most recent episode of Da Vinci’s Demons “The Prisoner” (Episode 3) — is structured to parallel a game of go, played by Riario and the eponymous, mysterious prisoner. ”The villain forces a prisoner to teach him go,” reports EJ reader Diego F. Pierrottet. “The villain then uses the go strategy and philosophy that he is learning against his enemies, in this case DaVinci’s employer and DaVinci himself.” The series airs Friday nights at 9 pm on Starz.
- Dave Weimer

U.S. Go Congress Registration Passes 100 Mark

Chris Garlock — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:19:41 +0000

Over 100 early birds have registered for the 2013 U.S. Go Congress, which runs August 3-11 in Tacoma, Washington. Registration cost rises $50 after May 31; payment must be made in full to receive the early-bird discount (which is why only 48 show on the “Who’s Coming” page, though some registrants simply may not yet selected room and board plans).

“This Congress has new exciting plans,” says Congress Co-Director Chris Kirschner. “The AGA will issue official rank certificates, a teacher’s workshop will inaugurate an AGA teacher certification program, and The Pentathlon is a new competitive opportunity for the truly dedicated.” Combined scores from the U.S. Open, Self-Paired, 9×9, 13×13 and the Lightning tournaments will determine the Pentathlon winners. photo: Mt. Rainier, nearby the Congress site

Alexander Dinerchtein 3P’s Perspectives on Shikshin, Studying and the Need for More Europe-U.S. Play

Annalia Linnan — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:09:11 +0000

Though he is a 7-time European Go Champion, the first Russian player to achieve professional rank and currently considered one of Europe’s finest players, Alexandre Dinerchtein 3p (“breakfast” on KGS) keeps his accomplishments in perspective.

Referring to his record against Ilya Shikshin 7d (“roln111″ on KGS), he told the E-Journal in a recent interview that “The official score is 24-8, but we cannot say that I am stronger.” Dinerchtein says he won early games against Shikshin because the distance in strength between them was much greater. For example, in their first match in 2001, Dinerchtein, the European Champion, played Shikshin as a 3-dan amateur. Their score in recent games has been more evenly matched, however, and Dinerchtein says he thinks Shikshin has more talent. “My score is not bad with him only because I know his go style well, his weak and strong points.” Citing strategy as a key Shikshin weakness, Dinerchtein said he forces Shikshin to solve more strategy-oriented problems. Shikshin “plays the same fuseki in every game for exactly the same reason,” says Dinerchtein, “he likes to avoid fuseki and joseki questions and start middlegame fights early.” These middlegame conflicts are Shikshin’s greatest strength and Dinerchtein’s biggest weakness. “I cannot fight as well as Ilya can and I hate any risk on the go board,” Dinerchtein told the E-Journal. Like his favorite professional Kobayashi Koichi 9P, Dinerchtein would rather games be as peaceful and risk-free as possible.

In terms of game study, Dinerchtein said that when he started playing go 25 years ago, “it was hard to find even a single go book, [a] single pro game record.” But now with many go books, game databases, and internet lessons (including his Insei League KGS go school), “it’s easy to find good partners online, so you can improve a lot without even visiting Asian go schools.” Dinerchtein emphasized the importance of studying professional games by using chess as an example. “Every chess grandmaster who wants to win tournaments spends a lot of time preparing new variations using go game databases,” he said, “I am sure soon we will see the same situation in go.”

Though go resources have expanded, the thing Dinerchtein would like to see most in the future is more “serious” interaction between top European and U.S. players. Except for his game with Michael Redmond 9P in 2001, he has never played any top U.S. players in an official event. As for recent U.S.-European events, he said, “I saw the matches between Lee Sedol and U.S. pros (and European pro Taranu), but I don’t think that they were interesting enough” because they were “novelty” fast games. He’d like to see the European Go Federation (EGF) and American Go Association (AGA) sponsor tournaments with big titles and prize purses, like those organized by the Chinese Weiqi Association, Korean Baduk Association and the Nihon Ki-in in Japan. Find out more about Dinerchtein on his homepage, KGS, OGS, DGS, or sign up for the GOAMA newsletter.
- Annalia Linnan

More on Judge Dee; Huading Correction

Chris Garlock — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:08:04 +0000

For more on Judge Dee (Your Move/Readers Write: Detective Dee Returns 4/29 EJ), check out Peter Shotwell’s 2010 monography on Judge Dee and Go Steganography.

In our April 29 Power Report, we mis-spelled the name of the Huading Tea Industries Cup World Women’s Team Tournament; we apologize for the error.

North American College Players Invited to July Tournament in China, But Must Act Quickly

Andrew Okun — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:36:48 +0000

The Shanghai Ing Foundation has opened its first International Collegiate GO Tournament to US and Canadian college students, according to Michael Fodera of the American Collegiate Go Association. Students who attend the July 7-13 event will play go with players from all over China and the world, travel around Shanghai and Hangzhou and play teaching games with stars Gu Li 9P and Chang Hao 9P. While players must cover their own travel costs to China, their food, accommodation, travel within China, tour costs and sponsored events will be paid for by the Shanghai Ing Foundation. “I was one of the players that attended the [Ing-sponsored] 2011 go summer camp,” Fodera tells the E-Journal, “ and I can honestly say that this is a chance of a lifetime. The Ing Foundation really does not spare any expense when it comes to these events.” The opportunity is open to players who have attended college or will attend college — undergraduate or graduate — in the 2013 calendar year, and who do not hold a professional certification from a recognized go association.

Act fast, however. The deadline for registration is May 15, and, while there is currently no cap on the number of North American students who can attend, the event includes students from the rest of the world as well and if room runs out, requests will be handled on a first-come first-served basis, Fodera says. Click here for details of the trip, as well as links to the registration form and schedule. Questions may be addressed to Fodera at mdf116@brandeis.edu or to the Shanghai Ing Foundation’s Min Xiao at min_xiao@harvard.edu.
- Andy Okun

Teacher of the Year Deadline Extended

Paul Barchilon — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:36:01 +0000

Nominations for the American Go Foundation’s Teacher of the Year award have been extended until May 30th. The award is presented each year at the U.S. Go Congress and recognizes an outstanding American teacher. The winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to the congress. To be eligible, a teacher must be a member of the AGA, have been teaching go to children for at least two hours a week (during the school year) for two years, have started a go club or organization for youth, and have helped their students enter appropriate tournaments, if possible. If you would like to apply for this award, e-mail mail@agfgo.org. Nominations are due by May 30th and should include a description of the teacher’s activities, how long they have been teaching, and how many students attend their program. - Paul Barchilon, E-J Youth Editor. Photo: 2011 winner Fritz Balwit teaching his son Theo.

Gilman to Complete Barber’s Term as AGA Central Region Director

Chris Garlock — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:35:44 +0000

In the uncontested race to complete Bob Barber’s term as AGA Director for the Central Region, “Bob Gilman wins with 100% of the vote,” reports Arnold Eudell. Gilman (left), who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is affiliated with the Santa Fe Go Club. A long time AGA member, Gilman has contributed articles to the E-Journal, edited several pages in the recent update of the AGA web site and organized a trip this past February by a group of US players who traveled to Cuba for friendship games at the Academia Cubana de Go in Havana. “I am interested in encouraging greater active involvement by AGA members in forming and executing AGA development plans,” Gilman says. Reach him at BobGilman.AGA@gmail.com

EuroGoTV Updates: Oslo Open 2013, Japan Counsil Cup, & Romanian Youth Championship – U 16 Final

Annalia Linnan — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:34:42 +0000

Oystein Vestgaarden 2d bested Paal Sannes 4d and Kim Johansson 1d came in third at the Oslo Open on April 21. In the League A Japan Counsil Cup in Sankt-Peterburg April 13 and 14, Alexander Dinerchtein 7d defeated Ilya Shikshin 7d while Alexander Vashurov 5d placed third. Silvestru State 1d won the Romanian Youth Championship – U 16 final in Bucuresti on April 14 with Denis Dobranis 3k in second and Darius Dobranis 1k in third. For complete result tables and all the latest European go news, visit EuroGoTV.com.
-Annalia Linnan

Fairbairn’s “Life, Games and Commentaries of Honinbo Shuei” One of 3 New Books from SmartGo Books

Chris Garlock — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:00:15 +0000

SmartGo Books has been quietly adding more books over the last months, publisher Anders Kierulf reports. John Fairbairn’s “The Life, Games and Commentaries of Honinbo Shuei” is one of three more books added recently, bringing the total to 61.

“Honinbo Shuei” contains a full biography, detailed commentaries on 79 of his games, and 11 commentaries written by Shuei. “It combines six books that were available for the Kindle (combined price $54) into one $20 masterpiece while vastly improving readability and interactivity,” says Kierulf. “One reason Shuei is so famous is because of his pure but elusive style; he is still esteemed as the best model for even modern professionals to follow.”

“Schwarz am Zug: Das Go-Übungsbuch” by Gunnar Dickfeld is SmartGo Books’ first book in German, containing 131 go problems for beginners. “As with our other multi-lingual books (“Patterns of the Sanrensei” in Japanese and “How NOT to Play Go” in Spanish),” notes Kierulf, “English is always an option.” Click here for more information on books by Brett und Stein Verlag.

“The Workshop Lectures, vol. 5” by Yilun Yang 7P looks at choosing areas in the opening, handling unusual opening moves, and protecting positions. “As always, Mr. Yang emphasizes the importance of understanding general principles rather than memorizing particular patterns,” says Kierulf.

SmartGo Books is a free app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, with books available through in-app purchase.